Mho-Man-Tie
by Dr. Breifs Cat
Summary: An unexpected battle leaves Rika with advice she probably won't take...


Mho-Man-Tie

**Mho-Man-Tie**

** **

It was no secret that children disliked school.Lesser known, however, was that digimon didn't like it either.Nearly the moment you try to just stretch a bit, it seemed, your Tamer would do that whisper-hiss thing, saying something like 'How many times do I have to tell you to stay hidden?' or 'Don't move.'

Some digimon had more trouble staying hidden than others.Guilmon, for example, couldn't come any where near the school after his first adventure there.Renamon, on the other hand, was quite skilled at staying out of sight.Others weren't so lucky.

Pretending to be a stiff, stuffed toy was not the easiest thing in the world.Can't blink, can't move, can't comfort Henry when he has trouble during a pop math quiz.Terriermon disliked school a great deal.After school wasn't that great either.It wasn't that Terriermon didn't like Susie, it was that Susie liked Terriermon _a lot.If he had thought trying to keep still while in school was tough, well, then staying still while a little kid was pulling on his ears was much __more tough.Almost as tough as de-digivolving from Galgomon, but not quite.The fact that he sometimes suspected that Susie knew more than she let on didn't help.Surely she noticed he was breathing..._

So, one day after dealing with three stiff class periods, Terriermon thought maybe if he was _really careful, Henry might let him go to the park by himself to play with Guilmon instead alternate his time between the inside of a desk and the blue-haired Tamer's shoe locker._

When the fourth grade classes went outside for a short recess, Terriermon knew that was the perfect time to ask.Takato would be out, too then, and surely he would help convince Henry.He always delighted in seeing Guilmon and Terriermon play, after all.

When Takato did join them that afternoon, Terriermon was in his third round of "Please, please, please" and Henry appeared quite torn.As predicted, Takato thought it would be a great idea for another digimon to keep Guilmon company.

"Well, okay," Henry finally said."But you have to be extra careful that no one sees you."

"I will, I will, I promise," Terriermon said, lying atop Henry's head with his ears flanking those of the boy.

"And go straight to the park."

"I will!"

"And if another digimon appears, just run away, don't try to fight."

"Aw, Henry, I won't," the little digimon said."Mho-man-tie."

"I am taking it easy," Henry defended.He sighed, realizing he was being a tad over-protective.Terriermon just wanted to play.

"What's your definition of easy?"Terriermon queried.

"Just let him go," Takato said."He can help keep Guilmon out trouble for the day.There's nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, see?" Terriermon asked."Mho-man-tie!No worries!"

"Just be careful, Terriermon," Henry requested as he hopped to the ground.The digimon looked up at his Tamer and winked.

"I will!" he called as he scampered off.Even as the students filed back into class, Henry couldn't help to look over his shoulder in the direction that Terriermon disappeared into.

**********************

While he had every intention of going straight to the park like he had promised Henry, Terriermon found himself just slightly deterred.The trip up to that point had been a quick one-in the shadows here, run while no one is looking there, pause and look stuffed here, wave at an infant there.But when he heard the word 'digimon,' Terriermon froze.

Wherever he was, he hadn't been there before, Terriermon recognized it as a play yard, much like the one at Henry's school.It didn't look like the children had as much fun at this place, though.In fact, to Terriermon's dismay, he saw several sad children.Sad children!On a playground, no less. 

Naturally, he had to stop and see what the ruckus was about.Twitching his ears, Terriermon listened, trying to see what was going on.It was something about digimon, he knew that much.He felt like he should be running; Terriermon didn't want to break another promise to Henry.

But after picking up a few more snippets of conversation, Terriermon gathered that they were talking about the Digimon Collectable Card game.The urge to run faded and now surrounded by people who would undoubtedly be able to recognize him, Terriermon's journey became slow and careful.

"...How can she be that good?"

"Knew I shouldn't have played for keeps!"

"I lost all of my best cards, too!"

"...Digimon Queen..."

Sad, angry children, they were, Terriermon thought.But that's what they get for playing for keepsies!He would have told them so, too, but Henry says that's rude.And that he can't be seen, anyway.

"So where's the Goggle-Head you're always with?"

When the voice spoke the first time, Terriermon didn't think anything of it.Surely she wasn't talking to him.Of course, when she pelted him with a stone, he felt differently.

"That's right, Bunnymon, I mean you."

Terriermon scowled as he turned around.He wasn't scared of Rika; if anything, _she should be scared of __him.He wasn't scared of Renamon, either.She was mean and nasty, but Bunny Blast was a match for Diamond Storm, after all.Throw Terrier Tornado into the mix and the cards were in his favor._

"_Henry," he said, conscious of all of his broken promises, "__Doesn't wear __goggles.That's __Takato."_

"It's all the same to me," the girl snorted."But a fight's a fight and Renamon should have problem with you today.You can't even Digi-Modify."

"I'm not fighting!" Terriermon spat."I promised Henry I wouldn't!And look at all the people!They'll see us!"

"You can't be serious," Rika said, deadpan."It doesn't matter if they see, they can't help you.All that matters is Renamon will grow stronger after she downloads your data."

"I won't fight!" Terrier reiterated.

"Then it just won't be any fun for us," Rika said simply."That won't save you, though.Boring battles end quickly."

"That's not fair!" Terriermon protested."You fight dirty!"

"If you're going to be a coward and run away," Rika began, "you might want to get a head start before Renamon is ready to fight.Who knows, you might even outrun her. I wouldn't count on it, though."

"I'm not a coward!" Terriermon shouted.

Rika had only one reply.

"Renamon," she sing-songed, calling the digimon seemingly from thin air, "Walk all over him."

"Of course, Rika," the fox purred.She advanced towards the smaller digimon.Terriermon dodged the first attack.From the sidelines, he could hear Rika scoffing.His black eyes narrowed at the accusation he was pathetic.Didn't she remember how his Galgomon form had frightened her so much?Terriermon dodged the next attack as well.

Children from all over the playground watched the fight with frightened expressions, some reaching out to one another or clutching toys.A second grade girl began to cry.As though she was unaware of anything but her opponent, Renamon continued to charge, hurling the occasional Diamond Storm at the smaller Rookie.

Terriermon ran almost blindly until a flash of insight from Renamon's battle with Guilmon hit him.He leapt and landed on Rika's head.The same affectionate stance he favored Henry with caused Renamon to stop in her tracks.Beneath him, Rika tensed.

"You fight dirty," she whispered, his own words filtered back to Terriermon.Around them, Rika's classmates murmured and backed away.

"You're mean," Terriermon replied."And you're always mad at stuff.But you're just a kid like Henry.You should just take it easy for a while.I bet you'd like that better.Mho-man-tie, Rika." 

Terriermon jumped straight up and shot a Bunny Blast at Renamon.After firing, he spun around so that he landed behind the female Tamer.Without looking back or even pausing to take a breath, he ran.

Terriermon arrived at the park out of breath, a bit shaken and hungry.Guilmon was curled asleep in the bunker Takato had found for him, but that didn't much matter to Terriermon.

Somehow, he didn't feel like playing anymore.

**~*Owari*~**

Disclaimers:I don't own Digimon Tamers or any of the characters represented in the preceding fic.

Author Notes:On the spelling I used for 'mho-man-tie' it's supposedly the way Toei's website has it written.*Shrugs*Closed captioning spells it as 'momentie' and my spelling of choice is 'moumontai,' but whatever. 


End file.
